Conventional marine instruments, such as clocks, barometers, and thermometers which are designed to be used in the cabins or other areas of boats, ships, and other marine vessels, or at dock or other areas adjacent bodies of water, oftentimes have no special adaptation for marine use, are typically permanently mounted, and if adapted for marine use often have complex sealing arrangements. According to the present invention a marine instrument is provided which overcomes the problems associated with conventional marine instruments. The marine clocks, barometers, thermometers, or like instruments, according to the present invention are substantially water-tight, being water-tight to at least about 12 inches of water, and typically about 30 feet of water or more, so that no normal amount of splashing, or even capsizing, will harm the operability of the marine instrument. Further the marine instrument is mounted so that it can be easily removed from the marine vessel, dock, or the like, leaving just the base behind, and can be just as easily reattached to the base when desired. Despite the water-tight construction of the device according to the invention, it is accurate and maintains accessibility for repair or replacement of components, and has appropriate venting.
The marine instruments according the present invention preferably have faces having indicia associated therewith (e.g. indicia thereon), and at least one hand operatively connected to an electric, mechanical, or electro-mechanical instrument movement so as to move with respect to the face. However the face may have a digital, or like, display, an electronic movement may be operatively connected to the display. The structure according to the invention may be made in almost any suitable size for conventional marine instruments, for example having a face diameter of between about two and ten inches.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a marine instrument comprising: A face having indicia associated therewith. An electrical, mechanical, electronic, or electro-mechanical instrument movement. At least one hand operatively connected to the movement and positioned to move with respect to the face. A casing water tight to at least about 12 inches of water, the movement, face and at least one hand disposed within the water-tight casing. And, a first portion of the casing which facilitates mounting of the casing on a surface, and a second portion of the casing which is readily movably mounted with respect to the first portion to allow access to the movement when the first and second portions are in a first position, and precluding access to the movement when the first and second portions are in a second position.
Typically a substantially water-tight volume is defined between the first and second portions when in the second position, and the instrument further comprises a vent substantially continuously allowing passage of air in and out of the volume but precluding passage of water into the volume under a pressure of at least 12 inches of water. The vent preferably comprises at least one plug of porous plastic, for example having a porosity (average pore size) of between about one-twelve microns, and the plug typically has a small diameter, less than an inch, typically even less than a half of inch. The casing may be water-tight to at least a pressure of about 30 feet of water, so that no conventional splashing or other environmental conditions in a conventional marine vessel will adversely affect the operability and accuracy of the instrument.
Typically the first and second portions of said casing are movably mounted with respect to each other by a plurality of flange and groove connections (a bayonet connection), and the instrument further comprises at least one seal mounted on at least one of the first and second portions for providing a substantially water-tight seal between the first and second portions in the second position. The at least one seal preferably comprises one or more O-rings, including at least one O-ring outward of the flange and groove connections (bayonet connection).
In one embodiment the movement comprises a battery powered movement, and wherein the face comprises a clock face having clock indicia thereon, and wherein the at least one hand comprises at least two hands. In another embodiment the movement comprises a barometer movement, and the face comprises a barometer face having barometer indicia thereon; and the instrument further comprises a manually movable indicator cooperable with the barometer face. In all embodiments the casing may further include a conventional inclination indicator mounted in the casing adjacent the face and visible from exterior of the casing when viewing the face.
According to another aspect of the invention the casing further comprises a third portion on the opposite side of the second portion from said first portion, and a lens, the lens covering the face and being held in substantially water-tight relationship with at least one of the face and the second portion by the third portion; and the third portion may be mounted by a plurality of releasable mechanical fasteners to the second portion. Typically the first, second and third portions of the casing are of aluminum and the lens if of transparent glass or plastic.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a marine instrument comprising: A face having a display. An electrical, mechanical, electronic, or electro-mechanical instrument movement, operatively connected to the display. A casing water tight to at least about 12 inches of water, the movement and face disposed within a substantially water-tight volume of the water-tight casing. And, a vent substantially continuously allowing passage of air in and out of the volume but precluding passage of water into the volume under a pressure of at least 12 inches of water. The display may be at least one hand movable across indicia mounted on or otherwise associated with the face, or a digital display may be provided connected to an electronic movement.
The vent preferably comprises at least one plug of porous plastic, as described above. Typically the casing is water-tight, and the vent precludes passage of water into the volume, to at least a pressure of about 30 feet of water. The casing typically comprises first, second, and third portions sealed to each other by O-ring seals, with the second portion substantially tubular and between the first and second portions. The first and second portions are typically readily releasably held together by a plurality of flanges and grooves (i.e. a bayonet connection), and the second and third portions are held together by releasable mechanical fasteners.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a marine instrument comprising: A face having a display. An electrical, mechanical, electronic, or electro-mechanical instrument movement. A casing water tight to at least about 12 inches of water and comprising a body portion, a cover portion, and a lens portion. The casing body portion containing therein or mounting thereon the movement and face. And, the casing body portion covered by the lens portion and the cover portion, and the cover and lens portions making a substantially water-tight seal with the body portion, and the face and display visible from outside the casing through the lens.
In one embodiment the movement comprises a barometer movement, and wherein at least one of the face and the display comprises barometer indicia. In another embodiment the movement comprises a battery powered movement, and the face comprises a clock face having clock indicia thereon, and further comprising at least two hands movable with respect to face clock indicia. The instrument may further comprise an inclination indicator mounted in the casing adjacent the face and visible from the exterior of the casing when viewing the face. Also the substantially water-tight seal between the body portion and the cover and lens portions is provided by at least one O-ring seal.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective and desirable marine instrument, such as a clock, barometer, or thermometer. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.